How to Prevent a Writer's Bump Callus
Assess your grip., Loosen your grip., Write lighter lines., Change your grip entirely.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Assess your grip.
Grab the type of utensil that you normally use for writing, then get some paper.
Write a few sentences, focusing on the way that the pen/pencil feels in your hand.
Think about how much pressure that you’re putting on your finger and the callus itself.
Then, look at the fingers that you use to hold and stabilize the pencil, noting where your callus and the pencil meet., If you feel that your grip is overly tight, or if pressure from the pencil causes pain in your fingers, loosen up your grasp on the pencil.
Practice writing with a more relaxed grip, then observe over a week or so whether the callus gets any smaller.
Loosening your grip will take active effort: make sure to keep your goal in mind when you write, or you may fall back into your old habits., Sometimes, calluses aren’t caused by a bad grip: they’re caused by a writer pushing the pencil too hard into the paper.
If you find that you exert a lot of downward force when you write, try lightening up the pressure.
Practice writing in a lighter, softer script.
One way to tell you're pressing too hard is to see if you make indentations on the paper.
Flip the paper over and see if you can feel the marks you made on the other side.
Another way to tell is if you break your pencil lead fairly often.
Everyone breaks a lead sometimes, but if you're doing it several times a day, you may be pressing too hard.
Also, just see what happens if you don't press as hard.
If your writing is still dark, you were likely pressing too hard. , There are many ways to hold a pencil.
Most people who suffer from writer’s calluses find that they build up on their middle fingers at the knuckle right below the nail, because they hold their pencils in a “tripod pencil grasp” with the middle finger supporting the pencil.
While this is the most common grip, you can try other grip styles: try resting your pencil on your ring finger, or hold the pencil between your thumb and first two fingertips. -
Step 2: Loosen your grip.
-
Step 3: Write lighter lines.
-
Step 4: Change your grip entirely.
Detailed Guide
Grab the type of utensil that you normally use for writing, then get some paper.
Write a few sentences, focusing on the way that the pen/pencil feels in your hand.
Think about how much pressure that you’re putting on your finger and the callus itself.
Then, look at the fingers that you use to hold and stabilize the pencil, noting where your callus and the pencil meet., If you feel that your grip is overly tight, or if pressure from the pencil causes pain in your fingers, loosen up your grasp on the pencil.
Practice writing with a more relaxed grip, then observe over a week or so whether the callus gets any smaller.
Loosening your grip will take active effort: make sure to keep your goal in mind when you write, or you may fall back into your old habits., Sometimes, calluses aren’t caused by a bad grip: they’re caused by a writer pushing the pencil too hard into the paper.
If you find that you exert a lot of downward force when you write, try lightening up the pressure.
Practice writing in a lighter, softer script.
One way to tell you're pressing too hard is to see if you make indentations on the paper.
Flip the paper over and see if you can feel the marks you made on the other side.
Another way to tell is if you break your pencil lead fairly often.
Everyone breaks a lead sometimes, but if you're doing it several times a day, you may be pressing too hard.
Also, just see what happens if you don't press as hard.
If your writing is still dark, you were likely pressing too hard. , There are many ways to hold a pencil.
Most people who suffer from writer’s calluses find that they build up on their middle fingers at the knuckle right below the nail, because they hold their pencils in a “tripod pencil grasp” with the middle finger supporting the pencil.
While this is the most common grip, you can try other grip styles: try resting your pencil on your ring finger, or hold the pencil between your thumb and first two fingertips.
About the Author
Melissa Armstrong
A passionate writer with expertise in practical skills topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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